Soldier wounded in encounter with Reds in Iloilo town

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 18, 2021): Soldier wounded in encounter with Reds in Iloilo town (By Perla Lena)

SUPPORT PROGRAM. A community support program (CSP) was carried out in geographically isolated barangays in Tubungan, Iloilo last month. The Philippine Army said Thursday (Feb. 18, 2021) it targets to introduce CSPs in 30 locations this year to address insurgency. (Photo courtesy of Maj. Cenon Pancito III, 3ID, Philippine Army)

A government trooper was wounded following an encounter with members of the communist-terrorist group in the vicinity of Barangay Iglilico, San Joaquin, Iloilo past 1 p.m. on Thursday.

A spot report furnished by Maj. Cenon Pancito III, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), said the team of the wounded personnel of the 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB) was conducting a house-to-house visitation as part of their community support program (CSP) when they chanced upon more or less 10 members of the Suyak (SDG) Platoon, Southern Front Komiteng Rehiyon Panay under Joven Ceralvo.

The firefight lasted for about 30 minutes and the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels withdrew southwest towards Antique.

The Army trooper obtained a slight wound on his chest and the upper portion of his right arm but is in stable condition, Pancito said.

Last month, the 61st Infantry Battalion introduced CSPs to barangays identified as geographically isolated and disadvantaged in the municipalities of San Joaquin, Miagao, Tubungan, and Leon to help address the insurgency in their areas.

These municipalities are categorized as areas affected by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)–NPA but they have passed resolutions declaring the group as persona non grata.

In an interview, Pancito said they are eyeing to increase areas in Iloilo with CSPs from the current 12 to 30.

The CSP is carried out by military personnel, however, there are stages where interventions of other government agencies are necessary as part of the whole-of-nation approach.

“Our end-goal is to liberate Panay from (the) CPP-NPA. So before they will be liberated, there are parameters to include the dismantling of guerilla fronts, not just about fighting but about clearing the communities from their influence,” he said.

The CSP serves as their tool and also a prelude to the barangay development program worth PHP20 million, Pancito said, adding that they intend to “alienate” the barangays from the influence of the NPA and want them to “be resilient when the NPA is going back to their communities.”

“We intend to finish clearing all influenced areas within the year as per our national headquarters’ directive. This is part of our goal that next year, if not eradicate NPA, at least their legal fronts will be dismantled. We can make the NPA irrelevant already to the community, just like what we did to the eastern front,” he said.

The 61st IB is focusing on the southern front of the NPA that operates from Miagao towards Antique.

Another group is also operating against the Central Front of the NPA that operates from Calinog town towards Tapaz, Capiz.

“In order for us to clear the two remaining fronts of the NPA, we need to focus on clearing of barangays,” Pancito said.

The CPP-NPA, which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1131134